Puppies made up more than one third of handovers - with Dogs Trust receiving more than 70 calls per day from people wanting to get rid of their pets.

It included a 14-week-old puggle called Ben, who was bought online on Christmas Eve. He was handed in to Dogs Trust Manchester when his new owners realised they could not give him the time and level of care he needed.

And eight-week-old lurcher Rudolph arrived at the charity's Darlington rehoming centre as part of an unwanted litter.

The charity, which rescued a further 300 dogs over the festive period, is now urging people to do their research and consider the commitment of dog ownership before buying a puppy in 2017.

People need to realise that owning a dog is a lifelong commitment not a passing phaseDawn Bishop, Dogs Trust

Dawn Bishop, Dogs Trust Manchester Rehoming Centre Manager, said: "Each year we take in more and more unwanted dogs like Rudolph and Ben.

"They are the lucky ones as their owners did the responsible thing by bringing them to us to find loving homes with people who can devote the time and care that dog ownership requires.

"People need to realise that owning a dog is a lifelong commitment not a passing phase and I would urge anyone thinking of getting a dog to do their research before making the decision to bring a four-legged friend into their homes."

The rise in unwanted dogs has been partly attributed to technology, with puppies readily available "at the click of a button".

This has led to more and more impulse buys, with Dogs Trust saying people are getting dogs "without thinking about the long-term effect this will have on their life".

Dawn added: "Owners are realising that caring for a dog isn't always an easy feat and charities like ours have to pick up the pieces when new owners decide they simply can't give their dog the love and care it needs."